


The Night Before

by St0rmy



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Blood and Gore, Body Horror, Christmas, Claustrophobia, Harm to Children, Holiday horror, Kidnapping, Psychological Horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 20:45:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5470286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/St0rmy/pseuds/St0rmy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Of course the first Christmas they'd celebrate at the manor would attract the unwanted attention of the damned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Night Before

**Author's Note:**

> Please mind the tags. This is not a fluffy Christmas story by any stretch of the imagination.

On the silent night before Christmas, snow drifted down from pillowy clouds to swaddle the countryside in a plush blanket. The denizens of the forest were bedded down to weather the evening storm, tucked away in nests or curled into frozen gulches while snow gathered on their backs. The squall wouldn't last much longer; the clouds were beginning to thin, giving way to silvery peeks of a waxing gibbous moon. A bit more time and she would shine forth in all her glory, but not just yet.

Beneath the fading snowfall, the Phantomhive manor was peacefully asleep with the exception of its otherworldly guardian. He was busy arranging brightly-wrapped packages beneath the towering fir Finny had carried in that morning. Bulging stockings hung from the mantle, sagging with the weight of bountiful gifts. Baskets of Funtom sweets adorned every flat surface in the room, scenting the air with sugar and cinnamon and spice. Sebastian straightened up, standing back to admire his festive arrangement. Firelight glinted off of silver bows and shining glass ornaments, giving a cheerful holiday sparkle to the scene.

This was the first year since the manor was rebuilt that Ciel deigned to decorate. It was at the niggling of the servants that he had agreed to put up the tree in the first place. After rushing through their morning chores, the servants spent the afternoon joyfully caroling in the parlor while stringing the monstrous tree with ribbons and strings of popcorn and shining ornaments unearthed from some dusty corner of the attic. It looked garish in Sebastian's opinion, but Ciel had waved his offer to gentrify the tacky behemoth away. "They worked hard on it Sebastian," he had said, nodding to Bard's proud grin and Snake's rapt expression. "Let them have their fun; you can tend to the rest of the manor." So Sebastian had turned his attention to arranging pine branch swags over doorways, gathering ruby-colored poinsettias on the mantles, and trimming the banisters with evergreens, pinecones, and handsome gold ribbon.

Ciel preferred to avoid all the merriment and kept to himself in his study, only occasionally calling for refreshments throughout the day. Nevertheless, Sebastian had done his best to portray the surly lord as a cheerful and considerate boy, treating the servants to thoughtful gifts conjured from the ether unbeknownst to his moody master. A new pair of Sunday gloves and matching hat were wrapped for Mey-Rin, a target practice dummy was an ideal gift for Bard - with a dedicated arena _far_ from the manor to enjoy it in, a sampling of exotic teas from the Far East for Tanaka to enjoy, and so on. Sebastian even thoughtfully treated himself to a new chain for his pocket watch.

Now that all the holiday morning preparations were seen to, it was time for Sebastian to complete his nighttime rounds. He took up a candelabra from the mantle. Its trio of flames sparked to life at his touch, and as he pulled the parlor doors closed the fire died in the hearth.

As he strolled up the grand staircase toward his master's quarters, Sebastian mentally took inventory of the manor's kitchen. Yes, there would be enough yams and greens for tomorrow's side dishes and likely enough pheasant to feed everyone, although it wouldn't hurt for him to hunt down a few extra before dawn. He would have to be sure Bard knew that the Sauvignon Blanc he'd fetched from the wine cellar was for serving and the Sauternes for cooking, lest they have a repeat of the _dinner party incident_. Snake and Finny could easily see to clearing snow from the walks, which would keep them out of his hair for the better part of the day. Hopefully Mey-Rin would be able to fetch the holiday China without too many casualties...

While these and other preparations played through Sebastian's mind, as he strode down the dark hallway toward Ciel's bedchamber he felt a distinct chill brush past his ankles. The sensation interrupted his woolgathering and he puzzled at the unwelcome draft. The further he advanced down the hallway the chillier it became, as though someone had left a door wide open. 

When Sebastian had left his master's side, Ciel had been dozing soundly. The methodic whisper of his breath against the pillow nearly lulled the demon into a rare sleep himself.

Now, tuning his senses to his master's chamber, Sebastian heard nothing of the sort.

His leisurely stroll took on a more urgent cadence as he neared Ciel's bedroom, feeling the chill more acutely now as his breath crystallized before his face. He burst through the door without announcing himself, knowing even before he laid his eyes on the bed that he wouldn't find his master tucked safely therein.

The fire in the hearth had died and ashy footprints lead from its yawning maw to the bedside. There were no signs of struggle - if there had been, Sebastian surely would have known about the intruder much sooner than this. The sheets were still barely warm where the earl had lain beneath the downy comforter. The footsteps faded toward the window, which had been flung wide open in haste. Snowflakes drifted in through the open pane and a thin crescent of snow was gathering on the carpet.

Eyes wide and mouth agape, Sebastian dashed toward the window and looked out onto the manor grounds. What intruder could have escaped his detection? Only a shinigami, or else...

No footprints marred the surface of the new-fallen snow. Sebastian's expression of surprise changed to that of grim suspicion. His eyes scanned the skies as he inwardly cursed himself for not anticipating this. Of _course_ the first Christmas they'd celebrate at the manor would attract the unwanted attention of the damned.

The snowfall had tapered, clouds chased off by the shining moon, her countenance nearly perfect but not quite yet. The frigid night air carried to Sebastian's ears the fading sound of sleigh bells.

 

\---

 

The first thing Ciel became aware of was the searing pain in the back of his neck. He was crunched into an uncomfortable position, neck bent at an awkward angle. When he moved to stretch out, however, he felt restricted. The creeping sensation of claustrophobia pulled him out of his half-sleep as he realized that the breath in his throat was too hot, too humid, and his lungs suffered the uncomfortable ache of having too little oxygen. When he opened his eyes, he could see nothing.

Ciel stretched his neck and as his pain faded out, the sounds around him faded in: rustling material, guttural noises, wet sounds, and the sniffles and whimpers of children. Ciel felt a cold hard floor beneath him and a layer of heavy material - a sack - binding him completely. Within the confines of the material it was black as pitch. Not even the smells of the outside world permeated his clammy cocoon. 

Ciel's instinct was to freeze. He'd been in situations like this before and without knowing where he was, he knew that his best option was to play opossum.

He strained his ears to take in the muffled sounds of the outside world. He was surrounded by whispering and grunting sounds high above, apparently tall figures that shuffled around him in no hurry. They dragged their feet as they plodded along. Ciel noted that the sound of their shuffling steps wasn't unlike that of an old dog with long claws that knuckled as he walked. The floor beneath their slovenly steps sounded solid, like polished stone, and their nails caught on seams between tiles. With their every step, he heard the soft tinkling of bells.

He heard chuckling and gravelly utterances - wait, were those _words_? If they were, it wasn't a language Ciel was privy to, although it almost resembled a Germanic language in its cadence. Their words were punctuated with the wet sounds of chewing and short excited breaths drawn through flared nostrils. Was this some sort of feast? He could hear the occasional _pat pat_ of oil or fat or flesh as bits of their meal slapped to the floor.

The sounds they made echoed off of hard surfaces in the same way that noise would echo from the domed ceilings of a cathedral. Even the whispers of those immediately surrounding him echoed back to him; the acoustics were so acute. _Where on earth...?_

A sudden bustle of activity far behind Ciel caught his ear: a rustle of material, an abrupt panicked scream - the unmistakable sound of a child's terror. An outburst of husky laughter and what must be chiding remarks rippled through the crowd. The child's cries were muffled for an instant, then became acutely agonized before they were soundly silenced.

Ciel heard the distinctive _crunch_ of bone, followed by the gushing sounds of liquid spilling onto an already wet floor.

His heart began to race.

Someone, something, abruptly grabbed the sack that Ciel was crunched within and tugged it forward. Sharp seams between marble tiles pinched at Ciel's skin. The material beneath him became damp as he was dragged through something wet. The young earl's heart thudded in the cage of his chest as he hastily pressed his fingertips into the material and drew them to his nose. He inhaled the ripe scent of copper, like old coins warmed in the afternoon sun.

Another scream, this one higher than the first.

Another muffled crunch, another sickly splash.

A rumble of laughter echoed in the crowd surrounding him.

 _Where on earth is Sebastian?_ Ciel's eyes darted around within his dark prison. Without being able to expose the seal of his contract, he couldn't clue Sebastian in to where he was in the world.

The sack was hauled another few feet and released, its neck landing just in front of Ciel's face. Along with a cool wisp of fresh air it brought a keyhole of insight into the world outside.

He couldn't make out much, his view obscured by a throng of hairy creatures that towered nearly seven feet above him. There were no lights on in the building, but moonlight shone through colored facets of glass depicting scenes of sinners and saints and ancient stories about morality and forgiveness. _This is some sort of sick joke._ The creatures surrounding him were largely hidden in shadow but he could make out unnaturally long legs covered in coarse brown hair, lean bodies glistening with sweat and gore, and horns - no, antlers - that crowned their heads, lending to their apparently peerless height. From their antlers hung tiny metal baubles, bells made of tarnished silver and copper that looked ancient in their design.

The creatures passed among themselves chunks of flesh that they tore into with the savagery of wild dogs. Ciel averted his gaze from their feast, not caring to know what it was they ate, although the rising bile in his throat betrayed his assumptions.

Ciel was hoisted up, dragged, and dropped again. He noted that not only were the miserable sounds of children's struggle and demise getting closer but the sniveling and wailing was becoming quieter. There were fewer voices adding to the din with each passing minute.

This was bad.

Ciel hugged his knees to his chest and lay quietly on his side, shaking as he considered his fate. How much time did Sebastian need to find this place? How far from the manor had he even been taken?

Hoist,

drag,

drop.

If he should untie the neck of the sack and expose his face to these hellish creatures, what would become of him? Would he just be killed instantly?

Screams,

tearing,

laughter. 

He could only pick out five- no, six other children's cries now, all coming from his left. Was he the last child in this hellish parade?

Heft,

drag,

drop.

His breath came in short, shuddering gasps as the darkness around him began to swirl and spin. His skin felt clammy. He lay curled in a puddle of filth that seeped through the material of the sack and into his bedclothes.

" _No, NO!!_ "

A wet smack. 

A chorus of gruff laughs.

He smelled of blood and piss, and the odor combined with the closeness of his confines made it hard for Ciel to breathe. The roaring of blood in his ears muffled the world around him, and that coupled with the complete lack of light made him feel very disoriented. His lungs constricted in his chest, his head swam, and Ciel felt himself begin to fall apart. He slumped on his side, mouth agape as he gasped for air in the suffocating imprisonment of the sack, struggling like a fish on the dry deck of a boat.

Hoist,

pull,

drop.

The screaming was much closer now, but it failed to rouse Ciel from his catatonia. What woke him was the resounding silence after those last cries were extinguished.

Now, he only heard the gravelly utterances and jingling baubles of the creatures that surrounded him.

Ciel was the last child left.

As he felt himself being hoisted up again, his bottom bumped against the edges of hard stone stairs, he gritted his teeth and steeled his heart. Although he so wanted to shut his eyes tight to block out the horrors that surely awaited him, he knew that he needed to keep them open, even in the face of certain death, in order to hasten his rescue.

The neck of the sack was opened and its shivering contents were dumped out onto the slick wet floor. The momentary joy of breathing fresh air caused Ciel to suck in a deep breath, but it was tainted by the stench of the creatures that surrounded him: sulfur, sweat, and dirt.

Ciel floundered in a shallow lake of blood and excrement. His eyes darted from the pale stained glass windows to the throng of tall brown cervid-men surrounding him to the white marble floor beneath his splayed fingers streaked with blood to the feet of the massive creature seated before him.

Lounging obscenely on a white marble cathedra trimmed with red velvet, his great legs splayed and cheek resting lazily on his broad stony fist, a great horned creature grinned down at Ciel. He bore the self-satisfied countenance of a king who was soaking in the spoils of war. His skin and hair were darker than the others'. He was much broader and obviously more powerful. Four thick caprine horns protruded from a ragged nest of gray hair: two curving up and back and two curling down around his angular jaw. Great fangs protruded from his gaping mouth, dripping crimson saliva from their tips, and a vermilion forked tongue lolled from his grinning muzzle. Down the front of his chin and broad chest, clotted blood matted his coarse hair and stuck shining to his skin. Clawed toenails clicked on the marble floor as he tapped his left foot, patiently grinning down at the earl.

The creature barely parted his lips, but a great baritone voice rumbled in his chest as he spoke in that earthy language Ciel could not understand. His words caused a ripple of laughter to spread through the other wild men gathered there.

It took Ciel a moment to realize that the startled whimper he heard in response had come from his own throat.

As the great beast-king reached down to take hold of Ciel, the little lord tried to scramble away. He staggered to his feet but slipped in the gore that stained the marble floors red. _Where in the bloody hell is Sebastian?_ Two of the wild men standing near the marble staircase stepped forward, caught Ciel about his arms, and tossed him backward toward the beast-king.

The great creature grabbed the back of Ciel's neck and hoisted him into the air.

The wild men gathered in the cathedral took up a wailing cry as their last course of the evening was presented to them. The sound the monsters made caused the hairs on Ciel's arms stand on end and the blood in his veins chill. It was a sound of foul exaltation.

Ciel clutched at the beast-king's broad fingers, trying in vain to pry them from his throat. His world began to blur and darken around the edges as the mighty creature set his other broad hand, damp with blood, on the top of Ciel's skull.

A sky-rending crack and the sound of shattering glass caused the beast-king to falter, releasing Ciel and sending him tumbling to the floor. The wild men took up a chorus of alarm, their long mouths opening to an unnatural obtuse degree. All eyes turned to the narthex of the cathedral where shards of glass rained down from the ruined rose window.

There, silhouetted against the brilliant moon, crimson eyes flaring with excitement, was Ciel's baneful salvation.

" _Sebastian!!_ "

Ciel's cry was nearly drowned out by the wild howling of the antlered creatures as they descended from the chancel and flooded the nave, surrounding the spot that Sebastian descended upon. A punishing rain of silver knives showered down upon them, causing many to fall to their knees before Sebastian's shoes even touched the ground.

The demon locked eyes with Ciel and held his gaze even as he began advancing through the throng of beasts, cutting them down deftly and without mercy. His gentlemanly posture and refined dress belied the ferocity with which he now unleashed all Hell upon those cretins fool enough to snatch his chosen soul away. The apogee of all predators, Sebastian moved with deadly sureness through the throng and left a trail of fresh viscera and ichor in his wake.

Ciel knew, even as Sebastian cut down his enemies and rushed to his rescue, that the motivation of this dark creature was no greater than that of the beasts who had captured him this night. The mark of the contract blazed in his eye as it did on Sebastian's hand, inextricably tying prey to predator, ensuring that Ciel could never evade Sebastian's watchful eye - even should he want to. For Sebastian's motivation was just as base, as bloodthirsty, and as violent as the bloodstained gluttons that he was so effortlessly annihilating.

How could Ciel beg for rescue from such a damned creature?

Sebastian moved through the throng like a starving beast defending its last meal. His eyes were alight with an otherworldly fury and ravenousness.

As he watched Sebastian swirling through the mass of stinking creatures, transfixed by the ease with which Sebastian dispatched them, Ciel felt the hot breath of the beast-king fog over his back. Although Ciel tried to scramble away, the beast caught him up by his lily white ankle and hoisted him into the air.

The world seemed to slow as Sebastian sliced through the last line of wild men below the altar and the earl stretched out his hand, a desperate plea cracking in his throat as he tasted wet salt on his lips.

The demon grasped his hand, clad in soft white cotton, with the tender sureness of a nursemaid lifting an infant from its crib. His other arm swept about Ciel's shoulders, clutching him firmly, comfortingly, against the smooth wool of his butler's jacket. Even as he turned to strike away the grinning countenance of the feasting king, Sebastian's eyes were on Ciel's, wrought with as much comfort and concern as he would have spared if he were bandaging a cut finger or scraped knee.

"I'm here," he spoke, holding the back of the earl's head and easing his tear-streaked face into the lapel of his jacket.

Sebastian's heel connected with the beast-king's jaw, snapping it shut and severing the monster's tongue between his own teeth. The great wail that rose from the beast's chest soaked blood from his mouth all over Sebastian's front and Ciel's back. The young earl clasped his arms around Sebastian's neck and hid his face in the demon's collar like a child.

Sebastian regained his footing and stood tall before the creature. Tendrils of miasma flared around him and his eyes smoldered as he glared up at the irate beast. The throaty sounds he spoke resembled the same language used by the beasts in the cathedral flavored with the hint of Sebastian's gentlemanly demeanor.

His utterance was met with a shouted reply from the towering king who now came forward to lash out at the pair where they stood.

But Sebastian deftly leapt away, sending the beast tumbling down the slippery altar stairs. He and Ciel gracefully floated back to the aisle in the center of the nave, pausing there only for Sebastian to gather the strength to vault them both into the sky so they might exit through the same rose window he had shattered upon his arrival.

Ciel dared to remove his face from Sebastian's shoulder to peek at the place they left behind. He could see now that the cathedral was in complete disrepair, abandoned by man and taken back by the surrounding forest. The marble floor was littered with the remains of children and antlered creatures alike. Blood-soaked pajamas were draped over the wooden pews of the cathedral, cast off by the snarling beasts as they'd feasted.

Ravens already alighted on the refuse, partaking in their own banquet. They were unaffected by the bellowing of the great wooly beast who flailed about on the desecrated altar. A crow that flew past the escapees carried in his serrated beak part of a tiny ear.

Ciel's head swam as the sounds of the raging beast died off in the distance. His thin white nightshirt was now dyed crimson and maroon and the stench of it soured his throat. The chilly night air bit into his skin. He shivered, although he didn't know whether it was from the cold or from fright.

"Young master." Ciel lifted his gaze to meet Sebastian's. "I apologize for not having a coat for you. Please bear with it for a little while; we will be back at the manor shortly." His eyes, although wrought with concern for his young ward, still bore the striking crimson color of the hellion he truly was. It would be some time before Sebastian could stifle his hunger enough to perfect his human countenance, especially after an evening like this.

Ciel shuddered, closing his eyes as he nestled against the demon's warm breast.

 

\---

 

When they returned to the manor, the bedchamber was just as warm as he remembered. The bath was hot and Sebastian's laving was gentle, lulling him into a stupor. The down comforter was plush and pillowy and the cup of hot milk Sebastian offered him soothed his parched throat. Still, despite the cozy comforts of the manor, Ciel's hands wouldn't stop shaking even as he sat wrapped in opulence and the safety of his butler's benevolent gaze.

Sebastian knelt before the young earl, bringing his head low to meet the downcast gaze of the trembling child. "What you saw tonight," he gently spoke, his voice rich as silk, "was an ancient ritual that has taken place every Yule for several thousands of years. Some call him the Krampus, make him out to be a cohort of your Saint Nicholas, but that's not quite true."

Sebastian paused, watching for some sign that the earl didn't wish to know more. Ciel sat quietly, his intent gaze locked on the demon. As he sipped his bedtime treat, the china didn't tremble as much in his hands now.

Sebastian smiled slightly.

"No human alive remembers when the Krampus and his _schabmänner_ , the Wild Men, first crawled out of the northern forests to begin their bloody ritual. On the eve of the Yule they would partake in a great feast of tainted young bodies. Only the most damaged and debased children would do." That earned an annoyed twitch of the earl's brow, causing the demon to chuckle. "They are beings not much unlike demons that survive on the flesh of these children-"

"And you left the creature alive," Ciel interrupted. His tone edged on accusatory.

"The schabmänner are smaller and weaker than their king, and so they are quick to succumb. The Krampus, however..." Sebastian stood, taking the empty china cup from Ciel's outstretched hand. "He is a primordial being, neither human nor demon. I couldn't destroy the Krampus any better than I could destroy God himself."

The moon hung low in the sky, chased to the horizon by the pink and orange hues of the impending morning. Light glittered on the top of the new-fallen snow and caught Ciel's eye as it shone in the reflection of Sebastian's own. The bloody crimson hue hadn't yet subsided from the starving demon's irises.

"That..." Ciel stammered, drawing the demon's attention from his doting chores. "That... Y-you... You're going to do that to me, aren't you?" He struggled to swallow the waver in his voice. "Devour me like that."

Sebastian set the cup in its saucer and turned just his eyes to Ciel for the moment, regarding him carefully. He could sense the trepidation in his young charge, the fear that rolled off of his skin in pale tendrils, making the demon's own skin prickle with gooseflesh.

But beyond that, something else flavored the air with a warm, woody ambrosia... Resolve. Determination. When they had previously discussed Ciel's impending oblivion, the young earl hadn't inquired as to the mechanics of the exchange. Clearly all he had witnessed tonight left him with the sinking feeling that his demise would be brutal, violent, and most of all: frightening.

Yet the little lord still didn't balk. Even as Sebastian turned to face him fully, towering over him and momentarily letting the hunger flare fully in his eyes, Ciel didn't shrink away from the threat, nor did he meet it with revulsion. He'd merely stated a fact.

Even in spite of his fear, he was ready to meet that oblivion head-on, all for the sake of his revenge.

The savory sweetness of that flavor filled the demon's lungs and saliva piqued on his tongue.

Sebastian placed a hand over his breast as he sunk to his knee. "My young master," he crooned, "When the time comes - and not a moment before - I will take what is owed to me with the utmost respect and care that a butler can show for his master."

Sebastian lifted his eyes to meet Ciel's, the seal of their contract blazing brightly in his large right eye. Sebastian grinned, baring just the hint of pearly serrated fangs.

"For that is the quintessential butler aesthetic."

Ciel's mouth puckered - whether in contempt or in fear, Sebastian couldn't tell - but before he could say what was on his mind the morning sun crested the horizon. Its warm light cast a glare across the fresh snowfall that caused Ciel to squint.

"Come now, young master." Sebastian rose and lifted the goose down comforter for him to crawl beneath. "You should try to catch some rest before the household awakens."

"I'll need a strong tea to get me through today," Ciel muttered, accepting Sebastian's offer and climbing up toward the pillows. He nestled in to the sheets as Sebastian tenderly tucked him in. The demon crossed the room to draw the curtains, darkening the room for his master's slumber.

When he turned back to the bed to bid his master adieu, Ciel was already asleep.

Sebastian soundlessly exited the bedroom with his trolley, gently closing the door. The windows in the hallway faced westward and there on the horizon Sebastian could see the fading light of the waxing moon hung low in the sky. He grinned, stopping for a moment to admire the celestial body.

"It will be full soon," he murmured to himself as a wide catty grin spread across his face.


End file.
